On the evening of Saturday, Oct. 15, my husband Keith and I were proud to participate in a fundraiser called Cooks for Kids. As March’s Cook of the Month in the Burlington (N.C.) Times-News, I was invited to be one of the featured cooks at this second annual benefit community dinner. The proceeds go toward the Backpack Program in Alamance County, fighting hunger for school children in need.
The Cooks for Kids initiative was created in 2015 by another former Cook of the Month, Bob Martin, who decided to get other former Cooks of the Month and chefs together and put on a benefit dinner. Last year about $7,000 was raised. What a great example of how one person with one idea can make a big difference!
Hosted by Elon Community Church, which sold tickets for the dinner, support for the event was also provided from a number of community partners, including the Times-News, local high school students, and college students from Elon University and the Alamance Community College culinary program.
Each cook created one to three dishes to be served, and the attendees got to sample all the dishes. Keith and I brought Beef Ragout (recipe here) and Roasted Cauliflower. It was a hit with the guests — our entire pans of both were gone.
Each cook stood behind their dishes and served the line. It was so much fun to talk with everyone as they came through.
After all the guests were served, the cooks had the chance to also fill a plate with the wonderful entrees, salad and desserts. Everything was absolutely delicious!
Live music from a local band called Mebanesville entertained everyone while they ate. The evening also included a program of speakers, and a video about the Backpack Program.
The Backpack Program ensures that children in need have balanced, nutritious food over the weekend when they’re not in school. The child receives a bag of food to take home (in a backpack, for their privacy) that is nonperishable, and easy to prepare and eat. Each backpack offers enough for six healthy meals. By partnering with school staff, the backpacks are distributed discreetly each Friday. The child then returns the empty backpack to school for next time.
Keith and I were so happy to be a part of this event and to support a wonderful cause!
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©Michelle Rogers, Inc.
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